How-to Books Can’t Guarantee Maryland Real Estate Agent Success

There is an interesting theory about why some Maryland real estate agents complete so many more home purchases than do others, and it really isn’t that ‘success breeds success’ (although the thing we call “momentum” is certainly real enough). It truly has to do with being able to harness two somewhat opposing character traits.

In any business, there seldom seems to be any irrefutable rules that guarantee prosperity… or if they do crop up from time to time, they don’t work consistently for long. Since that’s the case, it’s odd that there are so many best-sellers proclaiming roadmaps to success. If all those books were simply rip-offs, you would think they’d quickly develop quite a backlash (which would kill the market for books about succeeding in business entirely).

Simply enough, I’d be willing to bet that the answer lies in the commitment it takes to buy and read the book in the first place. If you don’t finish it, you feel guilty enough that you won’t blame the author. If you do finish the book, you probably already possess the energy and stick-to-it-ness that means you’re more likely to succeed in the first place, honestly with or without the book in the first place. What irony!

That self-validating quality applies to most Maryland real estate agents—and most of us would probably place it at the top of the list of what makes a good agent: Persistence. Positivity. Individualism. Tenacity. They’re traits that true go-getters possess. Those are also attributes that don’t reward only real estate agents: they apply in any walk of life. Leaders tend to have them. When others falter, lose faith, or simply run out of steam, success can result from nothing more than simply not giving up.

So what’s the ‘contrary’ attribute that doesn’t automatically belong with that first one, that really separates the real estate industry from most other walks of life? It has to do with teamwork (for clarity, NOT a “real estate” team). You see, every transaction is a group effort: the clients, the agents, the title company, the lender, the inspectors, the appraiser, etc, etc, etc. It’s the ability to make the most of the unique role that being the real estate agent plays in the ‘team’ that is created with each client—the one who wishes to sell or buy their Maryland home. The agent is truly the central figure in which all of the other moving parts come together through.

Even more importantly in real estate, being a “true” team player is what is always called for, because an agent is called upon to play multiple roles in almost every transaction, and has to always be prepared to do so. For instance, sometimes it is to act as a crew member, whose greatest attribute will be the ability to listen well and follow the direction of the client (the captain). At other times, the agent has to become the functional team leader – the authoritative voice and consensus-maker. That’s often necessary for the many transactional real estate details. Performing both roles with good cheer and equal vigor calls for someone who relishes team collaboration – who enjoys the rewards that go with team membership. It also calls for the kind of flexibility that makes for a great substitute teacher or a great backup player in any sport. Interestingly enough it’s NOT a character trait that automatically belongs to a never-say-die individual achievement-oriented performer!

At the end of the day, agents learn from experience… for over 10 years ExecuHome Realty has assisted home sellers and purchasers across the entire state of Maryland. We are home to over 350 licensed real estate professionals and feature 7 (soon to be 8) full-service locations.We are Maryland’s #1 most agent-friendly brokerage, featuring all of the services agents need for success, along with the most aggressive commission structures offered in the industry today. CHECK OUT OUR COMMISSION PLANS HERE!